Restart, Spider-Man!

"Another dream?"

The hazy world gradually became clearer, and what appeared before Xia Luo's eyes was the entrance to a residential complex.

"Eisen Apartments?"

Gazing at the familiar apartment buildings not far away, Xia Luo's expression grew peculiar.

This guy's ability to pull people into dreams was indeed formidable—it was hard even for him to resist.

However, this time the target clearly wasn't Xia Luo but the various villains who had entered the movie universe through the spatial rift.

Suddenly, he felt something was off about his appearance.

Looking down, he saw himself dressed in a delivery uniform, holding a bag of packaged pizza deliveries.

He lifted the pizza box and saw the label on the packaging—"Daily Bugle Pizza."

Xia Luo: "…"

What the heck?

He had a sinking feeling this was going to be a terrible dream experience.

Before he could think further, illusory text appeared before his eyes.

[You are a pizza delivery driver. You must deliver the pizza to the customer within the allotted time.]

Xia Luo: "????"

"You've got to be kidding me. What kind of nonsense is this?"

His eye twitched slightly.

Surely, they didn't genuinely think he'd accept being a pizza delivery guy, did they?

As he considered this, Harry, riding a small scooter, screeched to a halt at the curb. Holding a pizza, he rushed toward the apartment gate.

"Crap, only three minutes left! I can't afford a customer complaint," Harry muttered breathlessly.

Just as he burst through the entrance, a massive force slammed into him.

"No—"

BAM!!

Harry's body was hurled backward, crashing into the window of a car parked by the roadside. At the gate stood a middle-aged red-haired woman with freckles, wielding a curling iron.

"I've told you, deliveries stop here. No going inside! Break the rule, and this is what you get!"

The woman, cigarette dangling from her mouth, placed one hand on her hip and pointed threateningly at the bruised and battered Harry, her expression fierce as she turned to Xia Luo.

Xia Luo: "…"

Damn, this script was too immersive.

As for the landlady's character design...

Alright, this was clearly someone's twisted sense of humor.

He had once described to a certain someone how terrifying a landlady could be.

And somehow, a crowd of other pizza delivery drivers had gathered at the entrance without him noticing.

"No!!"

Deliveryman Norman clutched his head in despair, but he refused to let go of his pizza.

"I'm only one minute away from being late! I can't lose this job!!"

Determined, he decided to take the risk and charge toward the gate.

Three seconds later, Norman was dragged into a corner by the landlady, looking like a defeated dog.

The sight left the surrounding delivery drivers trembling with fear.

"Oh my God, she's terrifying," muttered the Lizardman, covering his mouth, his eyes wide with horror.

The Lizardman cowered further, whispering, "She's the nightmare of the pizza world!"

"No!!"

With a roar, Doctor Octopus's eyes burned with determination as he stepped forward.

"Delivering pizza to the customer is our duty. For the sake of letting the customer enjoy the freshest pizza, I must defeat this demon!"

Immediately, he gritted his teeth and charged at the landlady.

Buzz—

In the next moment, the landlady, somehow wielding a chainsaw, swung it with full force, slicing Doctor Octopus in half instantly.

"As long as I'm here, not a single pizza will reach the tenants!"

Blood splattered everywhere. Standing in the pool of blood, the landlady roared furiously.

Xia Luo's face turned pale as he staggered backward, clutching his chest.

"What an abstract plot!!"

His expression twisted with discomfort.

At that moment, a pair of hands steadied Xia Luo.

"Are you alright?"

Hearing the voice, Xia Luo turned to see the first-generation Peter Parker and the second-generation Peter Parker, each holding a pizza, arriving at the scene.

"You guys?"

Xia Luo exhaled, "Don't tell me you're planning to—"

"Yes."

The first Peter Parker took a deep breath.

"With great power comes great responsibility. As long as I'm on this job, I won't allow a single customer to go without their pizza!"

With that, he charged at the landlady like a madman.

"I'm taking you down!!"

"And me too!"

The second Peter Parker followed closely behind, shaking his pizza box as he rallied the others.

"Charge! For the customer's smile, for the honor of the pizza industry, for the dignity of delivery drivers, defeat this monster!!"

At that moment, everyone's faces lit with a resolve to die for their cause.

"Go! Defeat the villainous gatekeeper!"

"The world cannot go without delivery!!"

"We must eliminate all forces that obstruct pizza deliveries!!"

"We'll cross this gate, even if Jesus himself tries to stop us!"

"Charge!!"

"For freedom and dignity!"

"To avoid complaints!"

"To stay alive!!"

In an instant, the group charged valiantly toward the gate.

Under the sunlight, a band of people unwilling to bow to fate sprinted forward, their faces brimming with defiance and determination.

"What the heck? Why is there slow motion at such an emotional moment?!"

Xia Luo stared at the scene in horror, realizing he too had an almost uncontrollable urge to dash toward the gate.

He suppressed the impulse, watching helplessly as the landlady was overwhelmed by the crowd of delivery drivers.

Suddenly, the scene went black.

Who knew how much time had passed? When Xia Luo came to, he was greeted by a bloodstained ground.

Everyone lay scattered, battered and broken, their faces filled with complex emotions as they looked toward the figure sitting calmly in the center of the gate.

Pain, regret, and a deep sense of helplessness against evil.

"Why?"

In a corner, the bloodied Rhino clutched his face in anguish.

"Why did you stop us? We were just delivering pizza. Why do this to us?"

"Does she not eat pizza at all?" sobbed the Lizardman, his arm severed, tears streaming down his face.

"We're late now!!"

"It's over. The customers will go hungry."

"They might starve to death!"

"Nooo!!"

"NOOO!!!"

The pizzas on the ground were soaked in blood, and the group cried out in despair.

Only Xia Luo remained unharmed, still holding his pizza.

Everyone turned their gaze toward him, their eyes silently encouraging.

"Go on! Young man, you are our hope."

"Our only hope."

"Cross that gate and deliver the delicious pizza to the customer."

"Good luck!"

"You can do it, kid!"

At first, Xia Luo hesitated.

But to end this ridiculous farce, he resolved to save the day.

He'd had enough!!

Amid their expectant gazes, Xia Luo strode purposefully toward the landlady.

Step. Step.

Every step was... in slow motion.

Xia Luo: "…"

Too surreal.

Finally, he stood before the landlady.

"Can you let me through?" he asked, his expression grave.

The landlady smirked coldly. "I told you, as long as I'm here, no one eats pizza."

"Do you really have to act this way?"

"Of course. If I can't eat it, no one else gets to either."

"Just three minutes. That's all I ask."

"No means no. Not even for one minute."

As she spoke, the chainsaw in her hands glinted ominously, radiating an intimidating aura.

Click—

In the next moment, Xia Luo unplugged the chainsaw.

The landlady froze, her cigarette falling from her mouth as she stared at him in shock.

"How can someone be this clever?!" she screamed, clutching her head.

Xia Luo twitched slightly before picking up the cigarette from the ground.

He dusted it off and smiled faintly.

"Smoking's bad for your health. You should… smoke better ones."

He handed her a fresh cigarette.

"Try this—Huazi."

At that moment, the landlady's trembling hands accepted the cigarette. Her expression softened, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"I never expected the person who understands me most would be you."

Moved to tears, she clenched her fists as though making a decision that defied her ancestors.

"Fine. I'll give you three minutes. Go in."

She turned away, no longer looking at Xia Luo.

"But don't tell anyone I let you through," she said.

Xia Luo chuckled. "Got it."

As he stepped through the gate with the pizza, the crowd outside finally saw hope.

"He did it!"

"My God, it's unbelievable."

"Oh my gosh, this is a miracle!"

"One small step for the boy, one giant leap for history!"

Under the sunlight, the ecstatic group cheered, embracing and laughing uncontrollably.

As they laughed, they cried.

The price of crossing that gate had been too steep.

They had no Huazi to replicate this miracle.

Inside the gate, Xia Luo glanced back at the scene and felt as though the sky was falling.

This is so absurd.

Disgusted by the sheer ridiculousness of the plot, Xia Luo abruptly woke up.

The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was Old Man Steve fiddling with gift wrapping.

"Where am I?" Xia Luo sat up, his voice groggy.

Old Steve turned around. "You're awake. This is Tony's villa. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just had a nightmare."

"A Nightmare?"

Old Man Steve flinched slightly. "What did you dream about?"

"I dreamt I was delivering pizza."

"Oh, it's a relief you're still alive."

Old Man Steve let out a sigh. "That's far better than the horrors I've dreamed of."

"What about those guys?" Xia Luo asked.

"Those guys… Oh, I see what you mean."

Old Man Steve tapped on a virtual screen. "They're probably still asleep. No… wait, they're awake now."

Perking up, he immediately hurried toward the basement.

Down there, the captured villains were huddled together, sobbing.

"I can't even handle delivering pizza," wailed one of them. "It's my incompetence! I deserve to be a monster."

When Xia Luo arrived, he was greeted by this bizarre scene. The memory of that terrifying gate resurfaced in his mind.

"Damn! Have they been brainwashed?"

He studied the still-dazed villains and couldn't help but shake his head.

Brutal.

"You're awake."

Just then, Infinite Tony walked into the basement. He handed a set of replicated control chips to a robotic arm, instructing it to replace the damaged chips inside Doc Ock.

"The antidotes for the Goblin Serum and the Regenerative Serum are still being synthesized. It'll take some time," Infinite Tony explained, glancing at the other villains. "But some of them are beyond saving. Their criminal tendencies are their own doing."

"Then we'll send them back once this is all over," Xia Luo said, not dwelling on the matter.

"By the way, who informed you to collect these guys?" Xia Luo asked Tony.

Infinite Tony shook his head. "A stranger. I think it was a woman."

Xia Luo's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I see."

"See what?"

"Nothing. How many supervillains are still at large?" Xia Luo pressed.

"Quite a few, but I just got another message about picking up more of them."

"From the same person?"

"No, it's someone else—another woman," Infinite Tony said, his expression turning a bit odd.

"They seem to be helping us. Is it because of me?" He stroked his beard and chuckled. "Who'd have thought, even at my age, I'm still this popular? Too bad I'm not the playboy I used to be."

Old Man Steve gave him a sidelong glance. "Maybe they're my fans."

"Soldier boy, you had fewer fans in your prime than I did, let alone now."

"Stark, that's crossing the line. You can't compare something like that."

"You started the comparison."

"I did not."

"You should visit a doctor for senility."

"Jerk."

"Enough, you two."

Xia Luo cut them off, grinning. "Actually, they're probably my fans."

Infinite Tony and Old Man Steve exchanged a glance, each seeing disdain in the other's eyes.

"Good news."

At that moment, Dr. Banner walked into the basement.

"The temporal rift's wavelength has stabilized. No more strange entities will enter this world."

Hearing this, Infinite Tony let out a sigh of relief.

"Great. I'll finally have time to spend with Morgan and Pepper," he said with a smile.

Old Man Steve frowned. "I have a bad feeling about this. Does this mean we now have enough Spider-Men in this world for him to make an appearance?"

Xia Luo's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Possibly. But it could also mean someone else intervened in this event, forcibly interrupting the forbidden magic."

Before his words settled, flickering golden sparks appeared behind them.

"Stark…"

A weak voice called out, and everyone turned to see a battered figure collapse through a portal.

Dr. Strange, bloodied and utterly exhausted, raised a trembling hand, his expression filled with despair.

"You're back! Quick, tell me—where's Peter?" Infinite Tony asked urgently.

But Strange didn't respond directly. In a broken voice, he said, "Find… Wanda… quickly… there's not much time…"

With those words, Strange passed out.

Infinite Tony's face darkened as he scanned Strange's injuries.

"He's in bad shape. The wounds aren't fatal, but he won't wake up anytime soon."

Infinite Tony's expression turned grim. "Was it that guy?"

Old Man Steve's face grew serious. "If even the Sorcerer Supreme can't handle him, how could we possibly stand a chance?"

"The current Sorcerer Supreme is Wong," Infinite Tony corrected, looking at Xia Luo. "If Stephen told us to find Wanda, it means she's the only one who can defeat him."

Xia Luo stroked his chin. "Where is she now?"

Old Man Steve shook his head. "Ever since Wanda took over Westview, no one knows where she is—unless she chooses to reveal herself."

Kneeling beside Strange, Xia Luo inspected the item in his hand.

"What's this…"

He pried open Strange's palm to find a glowing golden spell array.

"Let's try this."

Using his own magic, he began replicating the array.

Buzz—

The first attempt failed. Xia Luo hesitated for a brief moment while drawing the magic array, unfamiliar with the technique.

Try again.

Buzz—

On the second try, the array succeeded.

Through the shimmering golden projection, a dense forest appeared. With no landmarks in sight, it was impossible to determine the location.

Wait.

Xia Luo noticed a faint red glow within the golden forest.

"She's spotted us!"

Old Man Steve's startled exclamation echoed as the array abruptly vanished.

---

A despondent woman looked up at the unfamiliar faces in the sky, frowning slightly.

Who are they?

Then, she spotted a familiar face.

"Steve!"

Her expression shifted to one of excitement.

The Captain is back? And he's looking for me?

The thought sent waves of magic energy rippling through her body. Transforming into a scarlet streak of light, she shot into the sky.

---

A suffocating pressure swept over the villa as Xia Luo and the others hurried outside.

In the garden, they looked up to see crimson energy cascading from above. Slowly, the Scarlet Witch descended, her dark red robes flowing around her.

"Wanda!" Old Man Steve's voice trembled, his emotions swirling as he saw her.

Xia Luo's spider-sense began to tingle uncontrollably.

Unlike the Wanda from the main universe, this movie-universe Wanda had fully embraced chaos magic, her power immeasurable—strong enough to single-handedly decimate Kamar-Taj.

Terrifying.

When Wanda's gaze landed on Steve, the cold indifference in her eyes softened slightly.

She wanted to cry freely in this moment of vulnerability, but she couldn't.

Steve had been the one who welcomed her into the Avengers, offering her hope of acceptance.

In the direst moment, Steve had risked his life to save Vision from Thanos's forces.

She would always be grateful to him.

But after the Westview incident, she lost everyone dear to her and became an uncontrollable force feared and loathed by humanity.

She no longer felt worthy of being an Avenger.

Yet, she held no regrets.

For her family, she was willing to do anything.

Even if it meant becoming the world's enemy.

Her emotions quickly faded from her eyes, and Old Man Steve noticed the subtle shift.

"Wanda, don't. We need your help," he said gently.

Wanda glanced at Xia Luo, feeling a flicker of recognition.

Through her study of the Darkhold and the dark magic it granted her, she had glimpsed the multiverse. She had seen him.

A Spider-Man from another universe.

"It's funny… I need your help too."

Her smile carried a trace of madness, sending a chill down Xia Luo's spine.

No way…

The next moment, her expression returned to indifference.

"I recently sensed a dark power, but it vanished quickly. Is this why you've come?" she asked.

Old Man Steve nodded. "Yes, a powerful dark sorcerer. He defeated Strange. Before Strange passed out, he told us to find you—you're the only one who can stop him."

Wanda's gaze turned thoughtful.

Dark sorcerer…

Her suspicions were confirmed. The dark power she had sensed earlier must have come from the sorcerer wielding the Darkhold's energy.

If she could obtain another Darkhold, she could fully traverse the multiverse and reach the world she longed for.

Her heart surged with excitement at the thought.

"Fine. I'll help you. When will he appear?"

"We don't know. Maybe soon."

As Old Man Steve finished speaking, Infinite Tony's wrist device began to beep.

"Crap, we've got trouble," Tony said, his expression darkening. "Someone's broken into the Spider-Nest."

"It's him!" Old Man Steve exclaimed. "He's back—and he's targeting the place where the Spider-Men are gathering!"

Wanda's patience snapped, her tone turning icy.

"Where is he?"

"Over—"

Before Infinite Tony could finish, the skies above the coast darkened. Thunder roared as storm clouds churned violently.

BOOM!

Lightning illuminated the sky as a shadowy figure tore through the storm, engulfed in swirling darkness, heading straight for the villa.

"He's here!" Old Man Steve raised his shield, bracing himself.

Xia Luo blinked, then muttered, "What's with the over-the-top theatrics? Is his ego that big?"

From within the dark clouds, a cruel laugh rang out as Dark Stephen Strange's voice echoed menacingly.

"HAHAHAHA! Xia Luo Parker! You've finally shown yourself. Now, no one can save you!"

Inside the resurrection arena, he had been unable to defeat Spider-Man.

But here, outside the arena, he would crush him effortlessly.

No one could stop him now.

Anyone who stood in his way—anyone who hindered his quest to resurrect Christine—would die.

Fueled by endless rage, he had abandoned all restraint.

He would kill Spider-Man. He would kill everyone close to Spider-Man. And he would destroy Spider-Man's entire world.

The dark energy spread wildly, blanketing the entire sky.

The terrifying sight left Infinite Tony and the others trembling.

"Little Spider, it's him," Old Man Steve murmured, swallowing hard. "And he's stronger now."

Xia Luo frowned. "He won the arena and claimed the reward. Of course, he's stronger."

"This is the first time I've dealt with something like this," Old Man Steve admitted, his expression grim.

"Same here."

Xia Luo took a deep breath. "Either way, let's get ready."

"Ready for what?"

"To fight."

As he spoke, Wanda suddenly transformed into a storm of crimson energy, surging toward the dark clouds.

"Hand it over!!"

Her furious shout echoed as her chaos magic erupted, filling the sky with crimson light.

BOOM!

In an instant, the crimson energy detonated within the dark clouds, and a startled cry escaped from Dark Stephen.

"This… How is this possible? Chaos magic—the legendary chaos magic—exists in this world?"

As the dark clouds began to disintegrate, Xia Luo let out a relieved sigh.

"Looks like we won't need to do much. Spider-Man's network can probably handle him," he quipped with a grin.

Old Man Steve crossed his arms and gave Xia Luo a disdainful look.

"Let's get one thing straight—that's my network, not yours."

"Does it matter?"

"…No, not really."

Old Man Steve broke into a wide smile. "Haha, we're family. My network is your network."

Just as he finished speaking, the dark clouds began to reform, and countless familiar figures shot out of the swirling darkness.

Whoosh!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The dense swarm of Spider-Men hurled themselves toward the crimson energy. As soon as they touched it, they exploded, releasing torrents of violent dark energy that shattered Wanda's magical defenses.

RUMBLE—

With a deafening roar, Wanda's figure was overwhelmed by the surging darkness, plunging into the sea below.

"What?!"

Old Man Steve's face turned pale. "It's Spider-Men!"

Xia Luo narrowed his eyes. "Spider-Men corrupted by darkness. That guy turned them all into his puppets!"

"Damn him," Old Man Steve growled through gritted teeth. "Think he can corrupt me too? So… are we running?" He turned to Xia Luo expectantly.

Xia Luo sneered. "Coward."

"Hey, I'm just an old bag of bones. Why should I bother pretending to have courage?"

Ignoring him, Old Man Steve turned toward the house to pack his things.

Meanwhile, Infinite Tony was typing furiously on his virtual console.

"My anti-magic armor isn't ready yet. Let's try trapping him in the Quantum Realm."

Ding!

The satellite system locked onto the dark cloud, and a crimson beam shot down from orbit, slicing into the darkness.

Zzzzt—

But the dark energy morphed into a mirror-like shield, deflecting the beam toward a nearby island, which disintegrated instantly upon impact.

"Damn. That didn't work."

Infinite Tony shrugged. "Alright, invincible Spider-Man, your turn."

"What can I possibly do?"

Xia Luo rolled his eyes, raising a hand to trace a glowing circle.

Magic sparks erupted as he leaped through a portal.

Moments later, another crimson beam tore through the sky, its intense heat painting the sea and sky in fiery hues before it pierced the dark cloud.

BOOOOM!

The dark cloud exploded, shattering the dark magical barrier and sending Dark Stephen flying.

"Heh, that's new. You're more creative than before," Dark Stephen sneered as he steadied himself. His dark, twisted eyes gleamed as he wove his hands into complex seals, releasing an endless swarm of shadowy tendrils.

"DIE!"

Crash!

The corrupted sea erupted with countless black tendrils resembling octopus arms, surging violently toward Xia Luo.

Xia Luo attempted to open another portal, but an unseen force disrupted his spell.

His magic sparks flickered and disappeared, and his face darkened. Without hesitation, he launched a volley of web-like crimson energy.

Zzzzt—

Splat! Splat! Splat!

The crimson web streaked across the sea, slicing through the mass of tendrils with blistering heat. Severed limbs rained into the ocean as a violent burst of scarlet energy erupted.

Splash!

BOOM!

The explosion sent a massive tsunami towering into the air, forcing Dark Stephen to reconsider his approach.

Buzz—

A dark magic circle materialized, warping space and sea as it transformed the ocean into concentric whirlpools that crushed the tsunami into nothingness.

"Your chaos magic is pitifully weak," Dark Stephen mocked.

As the chaos subsided, Wanda floated within the dimensional void, her scarlet eyes darkened by an ominous hue.

"Too early to celebrate," she whispered.

With a wave of her hand, streaks of black-tinged crimson energy burst from her body, spreading like wildfire.

The chaos magic twisted reality itself—where the whirlpools once churned, massive crimson meteors materialized, glowing with terrifying heat.

Chaos magic. The power to reshape reality.

The phrase echoed in Dark Stephen's mind.

One by one, the crimson meteors rained down, obliterating the tendrils and engulfing Dark Stephen in a cataclysmic explosion.

"You underestimated me!"

From the heart of the explosion, Dark Stephen roared as a ghostly black tome rose above him, its pages flipping wildly.

Whoosh!

Endless streams of dark energy erupted from the tome, manifesting the demonic entities inscribed within its pages.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Hellish creatures tore through the void, charging at Wanda with savage intent.

Simultaneously, a black blade materialized in Dark Stephen's hand.

"Die!"

The shadowy figure lunged at Wanda, aiming to strike her down.

"Seriously? A sorcerer resorting to melee combat?"

Electric arcs sparked as Xia Luo's voice interrupted. He fired a crimson beam that sliced through the air.

Zzzzt!

Slash!

Dark Stephen's body split in two, only for the halves to reform into two identical versions of him.

"Predictable, you sneaky little bug," they sneered, surrounding Xia Luo. Their dark blades slashed downward, striking him.

Splat!

Xia Luo's body shattered into a cloud of red and blue particles, leaving the two Stephens fuming.

"Damn it! A decoy!"

"Congratulations, you guessed it~"

Suddenly, a massive shadow loomed over the two Stephens.

Looking up, they saw a colossal Spider-Man, over a thousand meters tall, punching downward with unimaginable force.

BOOOOOM!

The impact shook the dimensional space, fracturing it into countless cracks as the two Stephens were obliterated.

---

The fractured void collapsed, and the chaotic scene reappeared before Infinite Tony.

Splash!

The colossal Spider-Man fell into the ocean, the massive waves threatening to engulf the villa.

"No, no, no! That's my favorite villa!"

Infinite Tony frantically activated the energy shields.

Behind him, Dr. Banner examined his pale green hands and shook his head.

"I don't think I can help much here."

He turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Tony called after him.

"Packing. Preparing to run."

As Banner rounded a corner, he found Old Man Steve standing with one arm raised, mumbling under his breath.

"What are you doing?" Banner asked curiously.

"I'm summoning Thor's hammer."

Banner facepalmed. "His hammer's already destroyed. The intact one was returned to its original timeline. Did you forget?"

Steve paused.

"Then I'll try summoning Thor's axe."

Banner groaned. "Thor's off with Quill in space. Give it up!"

Reluctantly, Old Man Steve sighed.

"Without a hammer, I'm nothing."

Banner: "…"

That line sounds oddly familiar.

Before Banner could respond, a faint light flickered in the sky, catching Steve's attention.

"It's here!" Steve exclaimed.

Banner froze. "Wait—Thor's still on Earth?"

"Haha, hold on, kid! I've found Mjolnir! I'm coming to help you!"

Steve clambered onto the roof, shouting toward the distant red-and-blue magical explosions over the sea.

Hearing the old man's cries, Xia Luo's expression turned strange.

Thor's hammer?

He glanced toward the incoming light, his eyes flashing faintly blue.

Could it be…